FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES OF THE WARGAME

Space - time - Scales

One of the problems that are placed is that one of the scales to use, from the moment that the material more important is represented from the models begins from these.

The most used they are without doubt  15 mm. in lead, these figures are in scale 1:140 that it means that 1 cm. corresponds to 140 cm. Obvious is that using figures in scale 1:140 cannot be used same the relationship for the land, in fact a table of meters 2x3 would be little larger than a soccer field, meager space for being able to us to carry out a battle!

It then must increase the scale of the land, that accepting in nearly all the world of the wargame is 1:1000, to this point we would have to use of the figures of dimensions adapted to the new scale that we have chosen and in practical high approximately 2 milimeter, but these are little larger than a pin and you leave us this purpose to express our clean preference that we come to an agreement, when the situation concurs it, to the use of the figures in greater scale; we want makes you to flash with lightning in front of the eyes the vision of the contrast of the uniforms, sparking of the bayonets, of the swords, a lot difficultly realizable with "2 high little figures" hardly milimeter.

Other measure of largeness which it convene to dedicate a sure attention is the time: if the game must be most realistic possible, would have to adapt this theoretical time that real one that a movement of troops would demand on the battlefield, in other way how much real time represents one moved.

The movement is a movement of the piece on the land and this presupposes a speed, than in physics it is the space that is covered in a determined time.

The speed of a man who moves loaded with its equipment is of approximately 4-5 Km/ora, but it can increase when it is put to run isolated for short section, as an example in action or under enemy fire; considering therefore an average speed of 4 km/ora on our land in scale 1:1000 it is of approximately 4 mt/ora.

Hour must be decided which time must correspond a single movement in order to allow to the troops a movement adapted to the table of wargame which it would have to be of little centimeters, in order to obtain this, or the scale of the land is diminished ulteriorly or the time of movement is diminished, having wanted to remain faithful to our scale of 1:1000 is necessary to diminish the time carrying it to 2.5 minuteren, so that one moved is of approximately 15 cm. for infantry and 40 cm for the cavalry.

This period naturally conditions all the rest of the rules, because to it it will have to rapportare the real time necessary in order to recharge a gun and to make fire or to detach or to riattaccare one towing, etc.

We still remain in the fundamental field of the scales and take care hour of that using in order to fix the organic ones of the troops; it seems obvious that sufficient models cannot be painted in order to complete armies with a relationship 1:1, therefore must try of one that it is in a position to reproducing all the movements and the tactical implications of the combat and that enough faithfully reproduces the organic ones of the single units.

Other scale to deal is that one in height, since that one of the land is 1:1000 is that the figures are high 25 meters "of the giants" similarly the houses would be all skyscrapers, therefore has need of a scale that becomes important when it is begun to consider if of the troops on a particular hill they can see here of a forest or a village, advises to the scale 1:250 (1 meter equal to 250).

Up to now we have dealt of the scales to use on the table from game, but these defer the scales to use in one campaign.

The map of the land of the operations must sufficiently large and be detailed enough, because every element on paper will have to correspond to on the game land.

Cartine in scale 1:400.000 and 1:100.000 can go well, is advised to overlap a grid of 1 cm. that it allows us to complete the movements in cartina.

To this point we can assert that the cartine to reproduce can be of a zone real or gushed from the fantasy.

We have asserted that the movement includes actions comparable to 2.5 minuteren of real life, but this time multiplied for the probable number of movements of one left would give a irreale duration to a true battle; presuming that every movement includes a variable amount of delay, we recommend to compare in one campaign one moved equal to 15 minuteren.

The main advantages of the system of alternated game, instead of the simultaneous movement much fashionable ones in agreement with detail written orders to you, are to make to save time often in writing orders, render the wills superfluous once that the players at least know the rules (in the single battles).

THE SOLDATINI

Chosen - coloration - assembly

E' we are joints to speak about the soldatini, that they will be the dumb protagonists of every our battle and in last analysis the material of base for our activity.

Immensest it is the range of soldatini usable, but these are sold are not painted, also therefore they go more than well for yours wargame that it has this point it could also begin; but you concur us of indurvi in temptation and it makes you to flash with lightning in front of the eyes the vision of the same paintings; we do not want to hide the difficulty to you to paint high little figures little more than 2 cm., from the first moment the task appears improbo, and us all will want your passion in order to exceed this impression.

The more useful council, that I hope you will want to accept, is that one to organize itself more rationally possible and than to proceed with gradualità in facing the job difficulty.

A good light, some paint-brushes, and all the series of instruments that you will construct yourselves alone spurs to you from the requirement of working beyond naturally to the colors of the Humbrol series that is available in one immensest range of tonality and gradazioni; here that that you servants in order to begin.

Nearly immediately you will discover the enormous usefullness of the working in series on a pieces number not too much great: when you will have ended of giving the hand of a color on the last piece of the series, the first one will be already dry and ready in order to receive an other color.

After that with the practical one there will be acquires a precious and most personal experience to you, you will be even disposed to laugh of yours begins them fears, and above all you will see to repay the engagement in a currency that single you will be in a position to appreciating.

I point out, even if the thing can have turned out implicit, to the necessities to document itself on the particular of the uniforms that s' they mean to paint; it is not necessary to become of the experts in the field, but you will notice that once undertaken the job, you will have wants to make it better possible, and every particular that you will succeed to add to your work will fill up you of joy and pride.

The way in order to prepare them the little figures for the coloration is following:

• to clean up them of every slobber, being used a blade much sharpenning that it gives clean cuts and you specify;
• to spread a transparent layer of or color of bottom on the entire figure, that will prepare the figure on which colors aderiranno better;

Assembly of the figures

We deal, now, of the amplitude of the alignment of the units, this refers to the amount of physical space that regiment, squadron, battery occupy on the land

The formation standard of the infantry, during the napoleoniche wars, was the battalion, this operated online sluice on three orders of depth, generally every fante in the line had to second occupy (the training handbook) a forehead of approximately 56 cm., but the more realistic distance was than approximately 60 cm..

Therefore, if we consider the relationship 1:60 figures the soldatino would represent 20 men lines up you for three rows for continental unit and for two rows of 30 men for an English battalion the occupied foreheads would have to be in scale 1:1000 of approximately 1.4 cm. and 2 cm. for figure.

To mount the figures of infantry on bases of cartoncino or wood, measures established, it guarantees that the exact foreheads are respect to you and moreover renders the movement extremely easier than due/trecento soldatini!!

Convenient E' to mount the figures of a battalion on bases that represent sub the units.

The cavalry has a forehead to respect, every single knight had a forehead of approximately 2.5 meters, therefore, since the forehead of a single 25 figure is of milimeter. and convenient to mount the cavalry figures singularly.

The models of guns go mount to you on triangular sideburns, whose side must be along proportionally to the number of guns lines up to you in battery; every gun, schierato occupied a forehead of approximately 15 mt., therefore a battery of 6 guns has a forehead of 90 milimeter.

The triangular sideburn will indicate there, visibly, the fire cone, within which the same one it can make fire.

For the depth we advise the minimal practical possible measure in 10 milimeter for infantry and 30 milimeter for the cavalry.

The shape more elementary than a sideburn is a simple rectangle (triangle in the case of batteries) painted in green.

THE BATTLEFIELD

We take care ourselves of the preparation of the battlefield, observing in via preliminary matter that a number infinitely of solutions is concurred in this field, and that the only element of which is impossible to prescind it is the space that has to disposition and in subordinate way the time to employ to the scope.

The land will be wider, than great rule as well as how much greater one will be the number of the employed figures.

One of the simplest types than preparation is that one of stilizzare to the maximum several the elements of the field (roads, mounts, forests, rivers, houses, etc.) representing them on the land (table or pavement) with adhesive different tapes colors or conventional symbols.

The advantages of this method are the rapidity of preparation of the land that it concurs and above all the minimal compromissione of the used atmosphere.

The back of the medal is obvious, consists much in the absolute lack of realism and the insufficient satisfaction of the aesthetic taste that compared the sight of an unit that is left over along a bridge represented from a blue tape, or from the long cavalry that sabre pendii of one the made hill of yellow books.

In order to realize, a land that satisfies, is necessary to be able to decide above all of a sure free time and of a room that at least for all the arc of the time of the exclusively classified game is to this.

Supposing of having all that, you will be able sbizzarrirvi in the search of the greater possible realism, and also here numerous they are the possible variations and gradazioni: the simplest desert is gone (is enough some bags of sand) to elaboratissimi plastic of the type in use in the ferrodellismo.

Gruppo Murat